1. Technical Field
This invention relates in general to computing and control devices and, more particularly, to an environment manager for computing and control devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
The advent of the personal computer has changed the ways in which people work. While only a small percentage of people had access to computers fifteen years ago, almost everyone has access to a computer today. Further, the computer has become an important tool in both the professional and private lives of many people.
The mobile computer allows people to have computing power on demand. In turn, the computer has become, for many people, a tool which is used in a variety of places and in a variety of different ways. It may be used in the office for document production, in meeting rooms and in the field for presentations, on airplanes for administrative tasks, and in the home for entertainment, education, household management, and off-hours work.
While the computer has empowered users in many ways, the complexity of operation often offsets, or overcomes, its benefits. In particular, today's computers are directed towards a single user at a single location. In fact, computers are often used by multiple people and in multiple workplaces. As the users and/or workplaces change, today's computer requires user interaction to adapt to the new circumstances.
For example, a user at the office may need resources such as a printer, scanner, or group-ware computing environments, and have access to a docking station with a large, high-resolution monitor, whereas the same user on an airplane needs batteries, small footprints and ease of access to local data. At home, the user may connect to a different printer and a smaller monitor. While in the office the user may use word processing, spreadsheet and scheduling software heavily, while he or she may use a financial program and entertainment software at home.
The interaction required by a user due to changing circumstances may take many forms, from changing an electronic-mail (e-mail) address to modifying network connections. As the difficulty of the interaction increases, the value of the computer decreases. Accordingly, many users avoid portable computers, even though the realize the benefits of mobility, to avoid the complexity of operating the computer in various circumstance, or under-use the power of portable computer.
Accordingly, a need has arisen for a method and apparatus for enhanced computing functionality.